单选题
One of Microsoft's cool people is Patrick Blackburn. As a test manager for the Product Group, Blackburn's job may sound routine; however, he says it's anything but that. "Most people think of software testing as a mundane task of punching the keyboard like a monkey, trying to break the program," Blackburn says. "Part of that is true, but we write software programs called Monkeys to do that for us so that we don't have to hire real monkeys. Real monkeys are too difficult to manage and don't usually pass the personal hygiene criteria! " In reality, Blackburn says, testing responsibilities are very technically challenging and often include complete development cycles of their own. He spends most of his time coming up with creative incentives to convince his team to believe in schedules for products that don't yet exist, hiring great people to build strong teams, and pounding on the products to find bugs before the customer sees them. According to Blackburn, the most critical thing you can do to succeed at Microsoft is to focus on what you believe is important. "It's easy to get overwhelmed with everything going on around you, so first and foremost you need to stay focused, " he says. "What you focus on needs to be something you firmly believe in so that you'll pursue it and defend your mission with a passion. " He also thinks that one of the biggest differences between his co-workers at Microsoft and those at his former workplace is the sense of ownership and the impact on the business that everyone shares. "We hire people who tend to become personally attached to the products and the success of the company, and the environment really perpetuates this," Blackburn says. "It's much easier to motivate a team at Microsoft than any other company I've been in. " One of the most difficult parts of Blackburn's job is staying ahead of the people who report to him. "Because there are so many smart people and technology is changing so quickly, it is a constant challenge to keep up, " he says. "I hope that's because I hire such great people! " To succeed, Blackburn uses time management tactics and allocates a specific amount of time to education. "My personal goal is to spend at least 20 percent of my time learning new things through formal and informal methods. /
单选题
Patrick Blackburn thinks software testing is ______. A. a routine and mundane job B. technically challenging C. like a monkey punching keyboard D. partly done by monkeys
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。文章开头两段讲，Blackburn的工作看起来是例行常规似的工作，也有很多人认为该工作平凡无趣，但Blackburn本人认为绝非这样(anything but that)，而是在技术上具有挑战性的。故B是正确答案。
单选题
As a test manager, Blackburn's work involves ______. A. managing real monkeys to do the testing B. designing test papers used to test prospective employees C. finding faults with the products before they go to market D. convincing his team of the interesting aspects of their job
单选题
According to Patrick Blackburn, what it takes to succeed at Microsoft is ______. A. focusing on something that you firmly believe in B. getting overwhelmed with everything going on around you C. coming up with creative incentives to convince other people D. cooperating with great people in a strong team
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。在第三段中，根据Blackburn，要在Microsoft取得成功最重要的(the most critical thing；first and foremost)是集中做一件你自己认为是重要的事情，即你自己深信的事情(to focus on what you believe is important/you firmly believe in；to stay focused)。故A是正确答案。
单选题
Why is it easier to motivate a team at Microsoft than any other company, according to Patrick Blackburn? A. Because Microsoft offers higher salaries and more generous benefits than do other companies. B. Because Microsoft employs people who tend to be more motivated and ambitious. C. Because Microsoft provides equal opportunity to all employees. D. Because Microsoft cre8tes an environment in which everyone has a sense of ownership and can have an impact.
单选题
Blackburn keeps on learning new things mainly because ______. A. he has to keep up with new technology in order to lead his people better B. he has to receive further education in order to get promotion to a higher position C. he has to know more than other smart managers in order to make better reports D. he has to learn time management tactics in order to transfer to management department.